Print

Easy One Bowl Banana Bread with Walnuts

easy one bowl banana bread with walnuts - featured image
Print Recipe

This easy one bowl banana bread with walnuts is moist, tender, and not too sweet, with crunchy pockets of walnut in every slice. Made in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients, it’s the perfect comfort food for using up overripe bananas.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)
  • ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter (75g)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (60g)
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional but recommended)
  • ¾ cup chopped walnuts (85g)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line your 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the two long sides. Lightly spray the exposed ends with cooking spray.
  2. In your large mixing bowl, add the three ripe bananas. Mash them with a fork or potato masher until they’re mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining. You should have about 1½ cups of mashed banana.
  3. To the same bowl with the mashed bananas, add the melted butter, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and Greek yogurt. Whisk everything together until well combined and smooth.
  4. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using) evenly over the wet mixture. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold everything together gently. Stir just until you no longer see streaks of flour—do not overmix.
  5. Add the chopped walnuts to the batter and fold them in with a few gentle strokes until evenly distributed. Reserve about 2 tablespoons for the top if desired.
  6. Scrape the batter into your lined loaf pan using the rubber spatula. Spread it evenly with the back of the spatula. If you reserved some walnuts, sprinkle them on top now.
  7. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. The top should be deep golden brown and cracked down the middle. If the top is browning too quickly (around 40 minutes), tent loosely with aluminum foil.
  8. Set the pan on a cooling rack and let it rest for exactly 10 minutes.
  9. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the banana bread out of the pan. Transfer it to the cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing—about 1 hour.

Notes

Use very ripe bananas (mostly brown or heavily spotted) for best sweetness and moisture. Toast walnuts at 350°F for 5-7 minutes before adding for enhanced flavor. Do not overmix the batter once flour is added. Let bread cool completely before slicing for clean pieces. Bread tastes even better on day two. Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana bread, one bowl banana bread, easy banana bread, banana walnut bread, moist banana bread, simple banana bread, homemade banana bread

Find it online: https://livelybite.com/easy-one-bowl-banana-bread-with-walnuts/